Black Coffee

The choice of bass versus ability debate will go on forever. If someone can afford something they like the look of to gain more experience on, so what if they buy it. . ? Aspiring to be better is what got the greats where they are. Amid this I know we are all learning but I hope that I never make a total pigs ear of a song when trying a bass. The comment above by Shiznitt, " [b]I soon followed her in the kitchen and we both laughed our arses off! There are no words in any known language (except perhaps Russian) that would describe how bad this guy played like! Think of a person trampolining and trying to play a guitar whilst wearing oven mitts trying to play Hotel California. To put it politely, he had more work to do!"[/b] I have experienced this too and I hope I have never been this guy. Having said that the Bentley would be nice. I have a fancy bass, but I know my limitations and try not to be a smartass when in music shops because there's always somebody capable of pickin, slappin or pluckin better than you nearby. As for the competent smug bassists who sneer at lesser bassists instead of offering words of encouragement, remember - whether you like it or not you used to be what we now are. Shame on you that you forgot.

I have never aspired to any sort of greatness or "here look at me" in what I played because I tried to concentrate on learning to be doing the basics well so that the others you play with can rely on you getting your bit of the sound right every time. Nothing worse than standing with £7,000 worth of wood and electronics around your muffin top and sounding like a total plonker trying to play fancy stuff your chubby little digits can't cope with. Learn your scales, understand modes, listen to loads of different styles, and watch, listen and learn from others. Accept you will never know it all. Drop characteristics of what you like in to what you play, put away the rest for another day when you might need it. After 25 years, with encouragement from my long suffering and incredibly supportive wee wife I finally shelled out and bought what I would call a few fancy basses. I played them and eventually moved them on as nothing played by me was really that much better (for what they cost) than a solid (maybe more basic) good quality bass played consistently well. What i would call fancy - Rickenbacker laredo, a fretless Ric 4003, Maple 4003 fretted Ric, Warwich thumb BO, couple of stingrays, a 25th anniversary SR5, a Custom shop Fender jazz, a Dingwall ABZ5. What is more basic - Peavey grind 5, Jackson/Charvel, Fender P fretted and fretless, ESP 4 string. Just for the record my Peavey grind 5 was one of my favourite basses from all I had the pleasure of playing. Now I have a Dingwall ABII in chambered walnut body / bubinga neck which I think is a keeper. It is a top quality bass and has the fanfret system on the neck which I think is incredibly easy to play and makes the B string feel more tight and easy to play quickly. Mutts nutts actually. It all depends on what you see yourself as, John Entwhistle (not saying he is the greatest, just an example) and other bass virtuosos would sound good playing almost anything because they are just on another level (Flea has said 'its all in how you hit it') , as for me the fancy bass is just my personal pleasure to play. Doesn't make me a genius, but sounds awesome without thumping the strings hard to make yourself heard over 8 other musicians and that's a big bonus for me personally. At least another 25 years before I can play half of what Entwhistle had forgotten before his untimely demise. A previous post said a better bass inspires better playing and it's hard to disagree with that. So more practice I guess. so business as usual.

Transfer on the headstock is a new one. Just as you say, exactly like wearing the local pound shop ties and somebody finding out, or riding your girlfriends bike and your mates seeing you astride a sparkly pink hardtail special as you dash to the shop . . . . . been there done that - and all because I spent my money on the transfer on the heasdstock of my bass. Unfortunately it's sad but very true. and er. . . I'm guilty.

In my humble opinion, only from experience of what I have once owned or own currently. 1. Any Dingwall. Fanfret B string is a must. So easy to play and the sound is fantastic from my ABII 2. Custom shop Fender Jazz bass. Because it is a work of art, and the 18v eq is on fire. 3. Musicman SR5. Love the sound, love the look. 4. Peavey grind bass 5 string. Strange choice, I know. I had a really really good one and it never needed anything other than strings for 6 years. No action, intonation issues at all. Solid and reliable passive bass. Would buy another. 5. USA Fender P bass. Does what it says on the tin. Everyone needs one. So there. What about 5 you would hate to have to play again ????

Such a cool bass. I was sniffing around one of those myself before lashing out on a Dingwall ABII. Also a 40th birthday treat. Went fanfret and lovin' it. Amazing sparkle colour. Bit like Billy Sheehans lava red Yamaha but brighter.

We were discussing this over break in work today and nobody could agree on anything. Is it the finish, the solid colour / woodgrain ? The strap used ? The fretboard clashing with the body colour ? The sound ? The image ? The make/model name ? LED lights ? The bass rig behind it ? The musician hanging it around their neck ? I think Rics and classic Fenders are hard to beat for looks, also my new Dingwall ABII - but thats just me.

Lovely basses. Sounds fantastic on every Motorhead song ever played. But then thats Lemmy. I have owned three in the past but just couldn't get comfortable with them without pulling palm rests off and tweaking them. Had a 4003FL maple, a gorgeous fireglo / maple fretboard, gold hardware Laredo (in photo) and a 4003 maple. I've been tempted to go there again but I am obsessing over a fanfret bass called Dingwall. Can't put her down. Sorry to hear about the nerve injury. I would hate to be unable to play, it becomes part of you.

Chambered walnut body, bubinga top and bubinga neck. Fanfret too. Dingwall ABII. Makes you grin every time you play. Difficult to photo just how cool this red coloured finish is.

Sold up lesser gear and bought my long wanted ABII. Walnut chambered body, bubinga neck and top. It is better than any bass I have ever played. Even my 25th anniversary MM Stingray. Could just sit and look at it for hours, sorry about my shabby photography.

Ampeg portaflex 500 watt head and two 15inch cabs. Boss effect board. Simple, light, clear and LOUD. Does what it says on the tin.

Having read all the replies posted, I feel a bit bad for perhaps being a bit misleading with the title of the thread. Please accept my apologies. Im actually surprised it generated the replies which it did given this. Maybe should clarify that I wasn't referring to slap technique being bad or boring or indeed anything negative at all (in fact used in moderation I think it looks and sounds incredibly good), it was just an observation on my part that the bass sound has gotten so lost in some modern metal that the agressive clank and percussive playing style which is needed to be heard through the wall of noise he/she is competing with; disables the bass player from any individual expression and clear recognition with normal playing. Or maybe they are just a useless bass player and it suits them.

I apologise if I was making it sound as if I was implying Lee, Lynott and Harris were the GREAT players. It just happened to be who I had recently listened to. Rush recent live album, Maiden Killers and Metallica Kill em all. I don't think we can say who ever was the greatest as styles are far too versatile and one who is good at chord/gallop playing doesn't do thumb slap/pop at all but is up there with the best in his music type. When you look at Victor Wooton, Jaco, Mark King, ...... where do you stop , who is the greatest? List is long dude. John Myung apparently has it all in techniques from what I read about him, but he doesn't exclusively slap does he ? I dont know much dream theatre stuff. The guitar being where the bass is, is a good explanation for not hearing I suppose. But guitar ego is overriding all sense.

I'm all for progress and music. Progress is good and comes with practice and should be everybody's goal. Look how far Flea took it, but there's only a few who slap like him and sound as good. I think he actually said that he abandoned the aggressive slap style because everybody jumped on after him. Maybe I am just cynical. To explain where this came from. I was led to write this after listening to some Cliff Burton, Geddy Lee, and Steve Harris from the 80s recently and it's sweet to hear compared to the stuff on the television music channels that my son watches. I am not wanting to be criticising modern sounds because one mans symphony is another mans earache and thats your right as a musician, just that the bass is sometimes drowned too regularly in a wall of distorted drop D guitar chunk, bump and grind. It's each to their own I suppose.

Does the bass sound of some slap and modern metal hide the fact that some people can't play a bass at all ? Think of the Geddy Lees, Phil Lynotts, Steve Harris sounding metal bassists in 70s and 80s who played clear crisp riffs that inspired. Then hear the modern drop D grunge and slap. Have some adopted aggression and a percussive sound to mask the fact they can't play at all ? Or am I just cynical....

The only bass I ever really regretted selling was my 5 string SR. I had bought a 25th anniversary HSS 5 string and it had to be funded, so the SR5 and a warwick thumb and others had to go. After some time though I moved the 25th on and immediately bought another piezo 5 string H SR. Have to say the £2,899 price on the 25th anniversary bass doesn't guarantee it sounds any better, if anything it failed by trying to be too many basses in one. If you want traditional SR sound, don't sell your prize stallion or you will regret it.

The first cut is the deepest. Cat Stevens. Don't ruin your playing by worrying about knocks, or you will start to be a bit of an anorak about it and get on everyones nerves by obsessing. I did this for a bit over my first MMSR5 and my wife told me I was behaving like an ass. Good to have someone reliable tell you this, even better when you know it's likely true. Enjoy the bass, every extra dent is a feature, every feature tells a tale. Get over it for your own sake.

Regarding Ric sound. Can I tentatively ask if Mani from the Stone Roses played a Ric during recording of the Second Coming album ? For me it is one classic album from start to finish, no real favourites from the tracks as they are all good. But the sound is fantastic; smooth, soft and sublime. Was just wondering if this was a Ric? I have read that he has used Rics and also Fenders; but it doesn't say when he used them. Anybody clarify this ?

Not likely to be on Youtube, but it's Thin Lizzy's Still in love with you from Life - live album. John Sykes I believe playing it. If you haven't heard it, get it and enjoy every note. Every mood in a solo all under one track. Brian Downey, Big Phil and Gary Moore in supporting roles at the scene of the crime - it can't fail at being a gem - really.

I owned one of these in HSS pickup setup. Looking back it was a lovely bass, in fact probably the most stunning looking and potentially versatile instrument I have played, but if you want the traditional loud MM sound just buy the traditional stingray for half the price and don't go through the financial mill. I learnt a sound lesson. If you want a passive sound, buy a good passive bass, if you want an active sound buy a good active bass, not a £2,899.00 hybrid which does none of the above as good as a bass half the price would. Incidentally I paid only £1650 for mine, second hand (right place at the right time). Let it go two months later for no profit then bought a piezo pup 5 string which sounds better than the HSS 25th Anniversary verison ever did. Strange but true. Along with this, I never had trouble with neck dive with them.

Simply put - that ABII is the mutts nutts with that maple neck.. Dingwall or die. I want an exotic Super J. Dont care what colour.

Is it really as long as 25 years...that means I must be over 30 at least..... I have lost count of the basses, just notches on a guitar stand I'm afraid. As for amps I am getting to know my new Ampeg PF500 head teamed with two 15 inch cabs for the first time. First decent piece of amp kit ever, and likin' it.

I think in reading this you have your mind made up. You will not regret owning one of these, I had two and when I sold them there was a hole in my life which was only filled when I got another 5 stringer. The tone, sound, power and cheesy grin never fade. As for the spouse scenario. My little lady endorses and encourages bass buying, (but only if I sell or trade alongside and she has full disclosure). Tell her it's a lifelong commitment to improving your skill and hobby - it's not just materialism etc etc and she will go with you to pick the colour. Order it on the quiet and it arrives with you not there and she signs for it - you've had it. Enjoy your last new bass. You won't regret buying a 5 stringer, you will regret selling one.